Radiator valve



Dec. 26, 1938. J R LAWLER 1,941,359

RADIATOR VALVE Filed May 19, 1981' mj'j dawef, qyeww GM 8 Patented Dec.26, 1933 I a `miDIA'roR VALVE James Lawler, Glencoe, Ill., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Lawler Vi'iutomatic Controls, Inc., Mount Vernon,N. Y., a Corporation of New g York Application May 19, 1931. Serial No.538,526 'c1aims." (cl. zas-42),

inye'ntionrelates to`valves'in general and particularly tothermostatically Controlled radiator valves.

The primary objectof the invention is to pro- 5' vide v'a' sensitive"positively operating i radiator vValve which is' appliedinsideof-'a'radiaton which can be readilyand' economically manufactured, andwhich is applicable forapplication in the usual opening provided inradiators and which is ;[0` usually closed by a plug. j

' Numerous 'other objects and advantages will be apparent throughout theprogress of the following specification. Ther'accompanying drawingvfllus'trates Va selected embodiment of the inventionand the viewstherein areas follows: o i

t Fig. 1 is afdetail elevation of a radiator having the improved'valve'appliedthereto. V

Fig. 2 i's` a detail sectional View showing the valve-applied toafradiator and having the thermostatic control -oper'avtively connectedthereiFig. 3 is a. deta end elevation ofA the valve. I

a Fig..4 is a sectional'view of an improved form .25 of 'valve-i Fig. 5is a detail sectional view showing another manner in which. the valvemaybe. applied to a radiator.v

Referring to the drawing; :1. designates a ra --v diator'having theusual threaded opening2 which isusually 'closed by a plug... (notshown). The opening-2 i's'the-opening which ,is usually provided inradiators to permitV the' core tov be` removed during the process of,casting and maybe locatedeither'at theupper or thelower end of theradiator. 4 The radiator is, of course, provided withH anoutlet (notshown) to which the return line is connected. VA .supply line 3containing a zheating fiuid'of steam; or'hot water leads'to theimprovedyalve 4. If desi-red, ahand controlledvvalve 5 be interposedbetween the supply line 3 and imprcved valve4. V i, The new valve 4comprisesal body portion 6 which threadedly engages the opening 2, andthe supporting member 7 which is connected to the body portion 6 bymeans of fastening elements.

The body portion constitutes a threaded bushj ing and has an elongatedend hcusing 8' whichV is hollow' to, provide achamber 9., ApassageChamber 9. VAA corruglated, 'collapsibla and exv pa'nsible'member orbellowsllisarrangedv in the Chamber 9 'andvhas a VVrigid portion 12rigidly conn'ecte'd to the bellows. A screw 13 passes through 1 0fisformed in the body 6,.,as clearlyshown, in' Fig. 2, and hascommunication with the the member 12. and makes threaded engagementwitha solid plug 01' stem 14. A spring ,15 surrounds thescrew 13 toprovide a'resilient connection between the member 12 and the member 14and to 'take up play between thetwo members. This constructionalso'provides a flexible con-` nection between the members, and acts asa relief spring Vwhen the valve has already moved to its limit. Thespring 'provides an additional movement which 'might take place if thethermo- Stat were overheated. This relief spring is extremely importantin Valves of ,the present type as extrei'nely Vhigh 'temperatures mightdevelop which would fracture some part of the tubing if this reliefmeans werev not provided. This plug has a fiange 16 provided thereonwhich is bev'- eled at 17 and makes a tight fit with the bevel portion18 of the housing. A threaded bushing 19 is arranged linside of the body6 and has an angular opening 20 through which the solid stem 14 extends.A Valve 21 is connected to the solid plug or stem by means of a screw 22and is adapt- Ved 'to bear'against` the valve seat '23 to`l shut olfcommunication from the supply line 3.

An automatic regulating'control o-r thermostat 24 is provided with apipe 25 which communicates with the passage 10. The thermostat comprisesa casing 26 which is fix'ed to a plug or nipple 2'7, as indicated at28.2 A nut 29 has threaded engagement with the plug or-nipple 27 .85 andlooks the casing 26 rigidly to the 'nipple 27. A collapsible, metalbellows 30 is arranged inside of the thermostatic element 24' andcontains a metal plugl or stem 31. This stem vextends through the nipple27, has threaded engagement therewith and is provided with a serratedthumb nut 32 fo-r the purpose of regul'a'ting the metal bellows 30.

The automatic control orthermostat 24 is filled with an expansible fluid33. The fiuid in-the thermostat 24 expands under heat, 'causing the`fluid to fiow through the pipe 25 into the passage 10 to fill theChamber 9. Whensufficient fluid-v passes into the chamber 9, a pressureexists in the chamber causing the bellows to collapse and.v I

the chamber and back into thethermostat, thus' permitting the Vmetalbellows to attain its normal position and move the valve 21 from itsseat 23.

i Normally, however, the resiliency of the bellows' 11 is sufiicient toretract the valve from its seat.

but it may be desirable to arrange a spring 34, Fig. 4, between the seat23 and the valve 21 for pushing the valve back away from the seat whenthe fluid leaves the Chamber 9.

The valve 4, as shown in Pig. 2, extends into the body of the radiator,the body portion being provided with spaced legs 35 providing spaces oropenings 36 therebetween for permitting the heating fluid coming throughthe line 3 to pass through the openings 36 and into the radiator. Thevalve being in direct communication with the heating fiuid, will attaina temperature substanltially the same as the heating fluid. Therefore,the Valve is normally set to meet these conditions, i. there being agreater difference in temperature between the fluid in the thermostatthan the temperature of the fiuid in the supply line. The valve,however, and the thermostat are set to overcome these variations intemperature. In other words, the operation of the valve is controlled bythe temperature of the fluid in the thermostat 24.

The stem 31 and its cooperating thumb nut32 is used for the purpcse ofexpanding or contracting the bellows 3G. If a higher temperature isrequired, the thumb nut 32 is operated to contract the bellows. Thus,the fluid in the thermostat must reach a higher temperature in order toexpand sufficiently to operate the 'valve mem- 30V ber 21. Also, when alower temperature is desired, the thumb nut 32 is operated in a reversedirection to expand the bellows 30. As soon asl the liquid in thethermostat expands, it will immediately enter the Chamber 9, operate thebellows 11 and close the valve member 21. The valve just described hasits body threadedfor direct engagement with the threaded opening 2 inthe radiator. iowever, it is often desirable that the entire valve benot rotated and in such instance the valve will merely slip into theopening as shown in Fig. 5, there being a separate bushing 37 whichthreadedly engages the opening 2. This bushing has threaded engagementWith a packing nut 38, a hacking gland or rubber 1 39 being arrangedbetween the two members as shown in Fig. 5 for making a tight connectionbetween the valve body and the bushing 37.

In operation, the valve is arranged in place and projecting into theradiator. The thermostat element is arranged in some predeterminedposition, such as on the front, where the temperature is usually thelowes Thus, when the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding thethermostat reaches .a predetermined minimum `temperature, the fluid inthe Chamber 9 will flow into the thermostat permitting the valve mem-lber 21 to become unseated and permitting the heating fluid comingthrough the supply line 3, to enter the radiator. When the temperatureof the atmosphere surrounding the thermostat reaches a certainpredetermined maximum, the fluid in the thermostat will expand and flowthrough the line 25, through the passage 10 and into the Chamber 9 wherethe pressure of the .fiuid will cause contraction of the metal bellows11 and move the valve member 21 against its seat 23 and cut oifcommunication from the supply line 3.

The invention provides a valve wln'ch extends into the body of theradiator and does not extend out into the room as in the case withconventional valves. The improved Valve may be applied to existingradiators without the necessity of providing special radiators foraccommodat- J ing the valve. The valve of the present type isparticularly applicable for old radiators now in use'which are notequipped with thermostatically Controlled valves. The valve is simple inconstruction, efficient and positive in operation, can be quickly andeasily installed, and may be readily and econo-mica'lly manufactured.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of theparts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificingany of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all suchchanges as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A valve having a body and adapted. to be fastened to a radiator, saidbody extending into the interior of the radiator, a valve carried bysaid body and totally housed within the radiator, means remotelysituated from the valve and controlled by atmospheric temperature forOperating said valve, and means passing through the said body into theinside of the radiator and operatively connected to` said first namedmeans for establishing communication from the first named means to theVsaid valve.

2. In a radiator, a valve totally arranged Vinside of said radiator, abody for said valve and extending into the interior of the radiator,vsaidv body having openings therein to permit heating fiuid to passtherethrough, a'member inside of the radiatorand body and Vadapted to beexpanded and collapsed to operate the Valve, a thermostat outside of theradiator and Carrying thermal fluid which is expansible andcontractibledue to higher. and lower temperatures respectively, saidthermostat being operatively connected to said body, and means includingthe body leading to the member to cause contraction of said member toclose the valve when, the fiuid in the thermostat reaches apredetermined high temperature and permitting expansion of 1 said memberwhen the temperature of the. fluid reaches a predetermined minimum.

3. In a thermostatically Controlled radiator valve, a valve body insideofv the radiator and having exterior threads for threaded engagement`1with the radiator, a valve arranged in said body, fiuid pressureoperated means for OperatingA said valve, a receptacle containingthermal fluid'remotely situated from said valve and having a passagethrough the body portion and leading toV 1;

the'interior of the radiator for controlling the operation of thethermostatic control means, a bellows arrangedin said container, and athreaded stem arranged inside of said bellows'for varying the pressureof the fluidin said container. 1'

4. In a radiator controlling valve, a valve casing arranged inside of aradiatorand having exterior threads for threaded engagement with athreaded opening in a radiator, said casingf1 having a main body portionand an ofi-set body portion of smaller diameter than the'mainl bodyportion, both of said portions being integrally connected by spacedlegs, a fluid'inletline Connected to the main body portion, the Vheatingfiuid entering the radiator through the spaces between the legs, avalve'seat in said main body portion, a valve operable against saidseat, a valve stem in the off-set portion, a bellows surrounding thestem and ar-,g ranged in the off-set body, a containercontaining'thermal liquid for controlling the bellows, a liquid linefrom the container and connected to theV casing, said casing having alongitudinal passage. in the walls thereof andV establishing 1communication with the interior of the off-set body portion.

5. In a radiator controlling valve, a valve casing arranged inside of aradiator and havingexterior threads for threaded engagement with "athreaded opening in a radiator, said casing having a main body portio'nand an oiT-set body portion of smaller diameter than the main bodyportion, both of said portions being integrally conneoted by spacedleg's, a fluid inlet line connected' to the main body portion, theheating fluid entering the radiator through the spaces between the legs,a valve seat in said main body portion, ai valve operable against saidseat, a

JAMES R. LAWLER.

